I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince - Chapter 272 [In the Witch's Forest (2)]

T/N: This bonus chapter is sponsored by James B. (6/14).

Why did the Witch’s Forest come to be called the “Witch’s Forest”? 

There was no need to explain the etymology of the region’s name. It was simply called the Witch’s Forest because it was a place where witches gathered and lived together; a place where only witches resided.

Then, to change the question, why did witches end up living clustered together only with other witches? 

Was it because mixing ingredients and making potions were illegal activities not permitted by the Empire?

No way. There was even a Pharmacy Department openly established in Luminor Academy, an Imperial academy, so there was no way it could be illegal. 

In fact, pharmacy, which produces effects similar to magic without using magic, was a field of study that the Empire actively encouraged people to learn.

Then, could it be because the potions made by witches using wicked ingredients were different from those made by other pharmacists, so they couldn’t be exposed to the eyes of others?

That’s not it, either. Of course, thanks to the special environment of the Witch’s Forest, the supply of ingredients was more readily available compared to other regions, but it’s not like witches used suspicious ingredients to make potions just because they were witches.

Well, looking at the way they gathered together, it wouldn’t be wrong to call it suspicious, but they didn’t actually engage in any wicked schemes. It just looked that way.

Then, if they weren’t doing anything particularly unseemly, why did witches end up living together in a single forest in this corner of the Empire?

It was precisely because the personalities of these witches all belonged to the “ultimate communication disorder” occupational group.

“W-W-Welcome, e-everyone….” 

“Hello, Miss Lara Medichilling. We’ve come here at the request of Gyeongmwajogyegigwat, the Hero.”

“T-T-Thank you… I-I’m La-Lara Me-Medichilling…. I-I’m terribly s-s-sorry for having you travel such a l-l-long way to our hometown….” 

“It’s okay. We also wanted to visit the Witch’s Forest at least once to see what kind of place it is. Rather, it’s an honor for us that you invited us like this.”

Lara Medichilling, unable to make eye contact with me and the others, mumbled with difficulty. 

As evident from her stuttering words, rough breathing, and fidgety gestures, she had a personality with somewhat lacking communication skills compared to ordinary people.

“I-I didn’t invite anyone other than the Hero… B-But it doesn’t matter as long as you’re helpful… W-When is that Gyeongmwajogyegigwat c-coming… I-It’s already hard with one person, how am I supposed to remember the faces of so many people….”

Lara left us at the entrance of the forest and mumbled to herself in an anxious voice.

We intended to wait a moment for her to calm down, but Agnes, who found this particularly frustrating, broke the silence with her voice coming from behind.

“…So, how long are you going to keep us standing here?”

“W-W-What?!”

“I heard from that Gyeongmwajogyegigwat that you called us because you needed our help. Shouldn’t you explain to us either on the way or after showing us to our lodging?”

“Ah, t-t-that, um, just a moment…. Wh-Wh-What do I do at times like this….”

As soon as Agnes barely uttered a word, unable to contain her impatience, Lara was startled. She then cautiously took out a piece of paper with something written on it from her bosom and began to carefully unfold it.

Holding the crumpled paper tightly with both hands, Lara read it from top to bottom, mumbling. As I mentioned before, having gone through Lara’s event nearly 15 times, I could roughly guess what that piece of paper she was holding was.

‘It’s probably a list of sample dialogues to use in unexpected situations.’

It was like a kind of script that celebrities or broadcasters read before starting a recording. The problem was that she used that script even in everyday life.

It also meant that her communication skills were incomparably lacking compared to other people. As I said earlier, it wasn’t surprising at all since most witches had communication disorders. 

Rather, the fact that she could attend the academy meant she was at a relatively better level. …However, the problem was that she couldn’t escape being “relatively” better.

In this situation, unnecessarily pressuring her would only waste time, so I deliberately spoke to Lara in a considerate way.

“A-Angry person…. How to respond to an angry person… I-I’m sure I wrote it down somewhere….”

“It’s okay, Miss Lara. You can speak slowly.”

“Ah, y-y-yes…. Um, y-y-your name is….”

“Lilith Blackwood Rosewood. You can call me Lilith or Rosewood.”

“Ah, o-o-okay…. Ro-Rosewood….”

“There is still a day or two left until the witch exam starts, right? If it’s difficult for you to explain it verbally, you can write it down and give it to us later. For now, could you first introduce us to where we should stay while we’re here?”

“Ah, y-y-yes…. I-I’ll do that….”

Suggest a way to roughly skip the most challenging issue and present the immediate tasks one by one. 

That was the way to lead a conversation with Lara in Luminor Academy. 

Unnecessarily rushing or pressuring her like Agnes did a moment ago was not the way to go. Doing so would only waste more time and make things turn out badly.

It was because of this character that the Hero was the only one who could somewhat communicate with her in the game, and it was natural that Gyeongmwajogyegigwat sent me here for that reason.

“F-F-First…. P-Please come this way…. Ro-Rosewood…. A-And everyone else, too….”

“Yes, Miss Lara Medichilling.”

Lara, who barely started walking from the entrance of the forest, took the lead, and the rest of us, including me and Agnes, followed behind her.

“Miss Agnes.”

“…What.”

“You shouldn’t unnecessarily pressure or rush someone like Miss Lara. If you were going to do it, you should have suggested a natural solution while speaking.”

“…I know. I knew that, but still, that was too much.”

“I agree with you on that… But people have different personalities, and that can’t be helped.”

“…Got it. I’ll be careful.”

I thought we could just follow the storyline while helping with the witch exam.

With the thought that an unexpected variable might appear if we weren’t careful, I moved deeper into the Witch’s Forest with everyone.

As I mentioned before entering the forest earlier, all witches are equipped with severe communication disorders without exception.

It wasn’t a problem that could be fixed or improved just by becoming an adult, because all of the residents of this forest were people with communication problems.

It would take almost three days just to exchange greetings with any one of the residents of this village, and Lara, who successfully finished introducing herself at the first meeting, was at a “relatively better” level, as I mentioned earlier.

“M-M-Mom….”

“….”

“Th-Th-These are the f-friends… I-I told you about…. I-I didn’t know they would come in such numbers…. I-Is it o-okay…?”

“….”

Lara Medichilling asked her mother for permission to stay at home as if asking for permission to keep a pet.

Across from her was Lara’s mother, who looked at her without answering a single word to Lara’s question.

“….”

“….”

“….”

“….”

The mother and daughter of the Medichilling family silently exchanged only glances in the awkward silence.

Agnes, who had been roughly gauging my reaction, cautiously asked me a question in a quiet voice, unlike her loud voice from earlier.

“…Isn’t she not giving permission? She’s not saying anything.”

“Hmm, I wonder. I think she’ll probably give permission.”

“…Are you being serious?”

“From my personal impression, it would be stranger if she didn’t allow us to stay.”

“You say that after seeing that look in her eyes? No matter how you look at it, it’s a gaze that says this situation is unpleasant….”

Flick, flick.

“Y-You can come in, Ro-Rosewood… and e-everyone else… Ah, a-and you need to take off your shoes before coming in….”

Lara’s mother, who had been gesturing with her palm flicking toward herself to come in, moved up to the second floor of the stairs, and Lara also hurriedly followed her to the second floor after delivering her final words.

The other characters were skeptical about such a reaction from someone who had been staring at her daughter without saying a word until a moment ago, but as someone who knew why she reacted that way, I had no reason to hesitate in my steps.

“I think you can go in, Your Highness Prince Antonio. Ethan, Miss Agnes, and Knight Colt can follow as well.”

“…Is it really okay? Even if you and the others are friends of the Hero, Knight Colt and I are uninvited guests.”

“You came all the way here from the royal villa, following Miss Agnes, knowing that? Don’t tell me you’re planning to leave us here and go back first by carriage.”

“…That’s not what I meant. It’s just that I didn’t know Miss Lara and her mother were like that. Even if Miss Lara just has a very shy personality, her mother seems to have a very cold personality….”

“It’ll be fine. She may only appear to have a cold personality on the outside, but in reality, she won’t be like that.”

“Hmm, I wonder if I can trust that….”

“I think you can trust what Lilith says, Your Highness Prince Antonio. At least I’ve never suffered a loss from listening to Lilith’s words so far.”

“If you don’t want to come in, just keep standing alone in front of the door. I’m going in.”

“Ah, Miss Agnes! I-I’ll come in, so please wait a moment…!”

Ignoring Antonio’s reaction, Agnes took off her shoes first and entered through the front door. Thanks to her, Prince Antonio also hurriedly took off his shoes and followed up the stairs, so unintentionally, I received help from Agnes in persuading him.

In the first place, it was very foolish to worry based only on the visible reactions in this Witch’s Forest.

Living in the Witch’s Forest meant being raised only by one’s mother without a father. It was obvious who Lara inherited that severe communication disorder from without even looking.

T/N

Komi-san?!

Well, in this case, Lara got it from her mom and not her dad.

Also, good to know that Witch Lara actually does have a last name. 

See you in the next chapter!